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PC games, why is it...
 

[Closed] PC games, why is it cheaper to buy a boxed version than a download?

 PJay
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Paying twice the price because I live in the UK aside (that's another rant entirely), Amazon are selling a download version (key code) of Dragon Age Inquisition for £44.99. If I order a physical, boxed DVD version (for which postage is paid on top of manufacturing costs) it's only £37.04 - seems a bit daft really.


 
Posted : 11/03/2015 8:19 pm
Posts: 66093
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Amazon's mum just got the phone bill and she's livid

It is mad though. I think it's just totally independent pricing, happens with CD vs MP3 too.

Why is it a 30 pack of a thing I wanted is £5.90 and 2 of them is £3? I don't know but I now have 28 of them on ebay for £3.


 
Posted : 11/03/2015 8:24 pm
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Amazon buy in quantity and sell at razor thin margins or even set a loss and Steam still have to provide the online bit of the service (DRM, updates etc).

Steam have to pay for their servers etc and have to make money somewhere.


 
Posted : 11/03/2015 8:34 pm
 Drac
Posts: 50568
 

£37.04 for the DVD?

I'd get the digital one it can be had for less £30.

[url= http://www.gamekeysnow.com/keys/Dragon-Age:-Inquisition?setc=gb&gclid=CJLWvcWGocQCFYnKtAodUk4ABA ]Here.[/url]

[url= http://www.cdkeys.com/pc/games/dragon-age-inquisition-pc-cd-key-origin ]Or about £25 with the Facebook discount too.[/url]


 
Posted : 11/03/2015 8:37 pm
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It's cheaper because they know computer nerds hate going outdoors and they can cash in on the easy money.


 
Posted : 11/03/2015 9:12 pm
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I hardly think answering the door to the postie counts as outdoors. Although...


 
Posted : 11/03/2015 11:30 pm
 Drac
Posts: 50568
 

Said the guy on the internet.


 
Posted : 12/03/2015 1:11 am
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Wait, you're not bots????

*eek*


 
Posted : 12/03/2015 9:42 am
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@Northwind, I'll give you £1 for 4 or your things. PayPal gift?


 
Posted : 12/03/2015 9:57 am
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Origin/Steam have a monopoly on downloads, and charge what they like in the hope you will want it NOW and stump up.

Physical media are sold by multiple vendors so the normal rules of competition apply.


 
Posted : 12/03/2015 10:07 am
 PJay
Posts: 4964
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@Drac - Thanks for those links; I'll have a look.


 
Posted : 12/03/2015 7:44 pm
 Drac
Posts: 50568
 

No problem. I've CDkeys a few times they're great.


 
Posted : 12/03/2015 9:18 pm
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T'was always the way, particularly with blizzard.

You could get a boxed Diablo 3 for pittance, but everything else is Blizzards responsibility so paying £32.99 straight into their bank makes better business sense.

I suppose.


 
Posted : 12/03/2015 11:30 pm